Sunday, 20 October 2013

She waited for them to come. Her anger was now like
the beauty of the insane. Days had passed since her first attempt at bringing
justice with her own hands. Ekadi was a good runner, it was easy admitting to
that fact even though she hated the taste of it. There was a time she had felt
her heart rejoice, she had pursued him towards an high fence designed not to be
climbed over by anyone but then in surprising shock she saw Ekadi without any physical assistance do the
unexpected with flawless ease. In retrospect she had come to agree that, day
had been created to bless her efforts with frustration and disappointments. It
was minutes after the unsuccessful pursuit, on her way back that she had fallen
into the arms of a police van, her pockets had wraps of marijuana and for two
weeks she had stayed in police custody while Ekadi rejoiced.

But now she
was back and Ekadi was still ignorant of it, the hunger to bleed his head was
now like a righteous calling. Her return had been visited by the numerous
rumors of how he had openly celebrated her shame. Sonow she waited, ready to show how a woman could
actually make his life unpleasant.

One of the boys had gone to his house, to make report of the unhealthy
return. He had met the absence of his boss and immediately began his return
trip with an insane
speed.

The happiness to run
from a house too disturbing to endure because of Nfong had prompted the early
morning flight and without planning for the unexpected he had gone ahead with
his eyes closed.

This time he
was unlucky, this time he walked into her waiting arms and his legs stood transfixed
for the reason of sudden fear. He was too close and any sudden move would put
Ngozi on a swift offensive. Their eyes stayed on each other, waiting for the
time when their legs would do their commands. Then she ran towards him with a devilish rage and from nowhere she brought out a
short machete.

The
heartbeats in his chest congealed as fear came upon him like cold sent from the
arctic. But then he moved his hand to the ground and in great desperation gave
a great swipe.

He had
embraced the initiative the very instant his eyes fell on a discarded baton
very close within reach. She came towards him already feeling triumphant,
expecting not even the least attempt at defense but as they say surprise was
never a thing to be expected. He flogged her hand; the machete fell as she
slowly absorbed the pains, he took flight.

She had seen
his hand move but at that instant her speed became her mistake, the reason
Ekadi had once again escaped her fury. She nursed her injured hand, her mind
boiling by the seconds and it was then she knew the line had been drawn by her
pains and the time for real barbarity had come.

He had been
wise situating his business far from his house. But he knew only foolishness
was to be held responsible for falling into the trouble Ngozi would violently
turn into a funeral dance. She was like the Mother of the area urchins combined;
they respected her and went on errands like pigeons begging to fly into their
freedom, Messages that sometimes sent people tohospital beds and others packing. All she had to
do was say the words and the name on the list would start asking for God.

He had
attacked in self defense and this was trouble, no explanation or pleading would
erase the punishment looming in the dark and this he was sure of. He was now a
finished man and like one trying to live his new status he walked his various paths with a certain
sluggishness as if to attract pity. The workshop was his everything but because
of the need to pay for a
certain
disaster manifested from
Nfong’s troubles which at that time had seemed more important he had gone ahead
and not knowing what the future had in store had brought a more serious trouble
on his head.

He heard the
familiar shout that was the everyday mood of the compound as he entered. Again
he met the land lord who would not waste time on emphasizing his belief.

“I swear on
my old age, that woman will dig your grave even before you are ready to go”

With his
eyes he searched her out from among the crowd and his heart quaked in pains
while his head
grumbled in disapproval at his greatest mistake

Thursday, 17 October 2013

The compound had never seen peace nor would ever
understand the benefits it could bring. Every day was with its own troubles;
troubles always caused by women, women too hungry to bring them into being.

Ever since
Ekadi had seen the need to become tenant in this compound and actually taken
the step, his wife Nfong had since then become the strong force in the fore
front of the various chaos. She was the Goliath in the colony of Titans but
since only a David could do the eventual damage she had continued to live
despite the strong female bullies the compound had on parade.

Trouble was
again at the threshold of the compound and Nfong was to be held responsible for
it, the reason for the recent madness was far from been a deliberate one but
rather from a permissible mistake that should have been ignored. The poor girl
like everyone else in the compound knew Nfong had a madness that only trouble
could appease and was frightened when tiny drops of water had fell from the
bucket on her head,
finding their way to the door front of Nfong.

She heard the splash, like a trained maniac she
rushed outside and without any words to call the girl to order had descended on
the poor thing with bitterness. The beating was beyond the normal measures
suitable for a little child. Her crying called out for her own mother and the two
adult sharing the same pot of bitterness showed strength.

That was how
the fight had started and minutes later Nfong had once again inflicted a
terrible injury on her neighbor. This was the routine; this was why Ekadi was
never free from debts and the purging habit of spending money meant for the
furniture’s of his customers. He worked to make money; while her efforts were
to invent troubles, so
unavailable resources could be spent on them.

He heard the
sporadic shouts; they were all gathered at the backyard of the compound. The
women were real noise makers as usual, each eager to oppress the other with
their combusting voices. But on top of all the voices stayed the one voice his
life had come to fear and like all great mistakes, regret. He heard his wife
boast that she was strong and ready to prove herself, ready to break the heads
of those who would not respect her. He felt oppressed; he felt the burden of a
man who had come to realize that peace would forever stay far from his house
because of the woman he had made his wife.

He was still there in
his thoughts when he heard the noise from behind, he turned around and there
was his landlord. Their eyes met and the landlord started an eruption of mockinglaughter’s,
his face blessed with a resemblance that favored that of a bald monkey.

“You haven’t
seen anything yet” He said “She is your downfall”

He sighed in
his displeasure as he moved to the outside entrance of the compound, he had
never liked Nfong and it was
to his great annoyance to see Ekadi suffer in the hands of a
woman who was never in want of peace, a pain felt by Ekadi as he entered his
one room apartment.

He was
furious, the list of recent debts was on the table and its content had almost
made his head explode but somehow he had managed to maintain his sanity, controlling his
anger. But it was not to last for long,
for as soon as his eyes fell
on
the pot of soup which was his hope for dinner on the floor his body became the
growl of a furious beast as he shouted “Nfong” repeatedly.

Her face
bore the usual disdain felt for her husband as she entered. He was poor and her
respect and full loyalty had always feared his quarters. She moved like a
pregnant woman, slow and deliberate was her motion and worse the silent insult
as she asked. “What can I do for you?”

“What
happened to the pot of soup?” He snarled, in obvious irritation and anger.

He had seen
the content of the pot,
that was before Nfong had come asking for money to make her hair, he had
refused her request and the workshop calling out quickened his footsteps before
she could create trouble he was in no way ready for. But now like a wicked
miracle a pot that would have served for two more days was now among the dirty
dishes begging to be washed.

“You would
not give me money for my hair so I sold the soup. But still the money is not
enough. I think I would have to sell the remaining fresh rice so I can look
beautiful for my husband” She said with her lips twisted in that manner meant
to insult in a silent buy wicked way.

His hands
were fast, his breathe heavy and his full anger fell heavily on her. His fist
did damage for every disrespect she had poured on him, the debts he must now
pay for and
the danger that might soon befall him if Ngozi should ever succeed with her
nefarious plans and most importantly for playing with his appetite.

Thursday, 19 September 2013

As a child
he had lacked the financial means that would have made education accessible,
added to this failure his parents were the sort whobecause
of poverty had gone the whole mile of weaving ridiculous lies of how school was
very unnecessary, a ploy enacted to hide their inadequacies and so growing up
became nothing but aborted chances in that regard. Living up to the expectation
of his father meant becoming a carpenter himself and so the road into adulthood
was shaped to carry the hammer and pincers, a decision that gave his curse a
monstrosity breathing not even a moment’s peace.

The sun was
again angry and this time like before he complained. The carpentry workshop was
his greatest achievement, the inherited property handed down from his father
and one venture which over the years had only succeeded in draining his
vitality, perpetuating the poverty that he had no business making daily contact
with. He gave his all but received almost nothing in return and despite his
dedication to serve, the carpentry workshop would bring him almost no profits,
bringing to the minds of those curious few of how malnourished it has become,
how close it was to a terrible end and how it would gladly accept that fate.

His
complaints about the sun carried with it an undertone, a lone voice begging for
a change but too afraid to journey the road that would bring the answers.
Pretending he had no use for it but silently wishing for the rain to fall on
him, to allow every drop wash his penury from his skin until there was no sign
left to show it once existed. The boys who worked under him were wise and
understood his paranoia; they had come to see the reasons and kept quiet
whenever the session was in play.

It was
fast, it was precise and one after the other the planks fell into the detailed
design already planted in his sweat dripping head which at the same time was
busy courting the fear from the latest act of poverty he had forced himself into
committing, forgetting the many times he had promised not to again venture onto
that path.

He had
promised to deliver on time, in complete trust the customer had paid full in
advance but his increasing poverty had so eroded his sense of duty and created
too many temptations that it became a necessity to squander the entire money
without a single piece of wood bought for the purpose it was intended.When the time finally came, Ekadi
knowing the manner of trouble counting the distance towards his tent became
evasive. He had failed in his promise, the cash meant for the project he had
expended, and now the rumors concerning the lady whose money his needs had
tampered with were becoming most terrifying. At ungodly hours he would make
nocturnal visits to the workshop and diligently he would give his time to the
service of those lucky not to have fallen into his need for money.

With the
eventual remunerations for his nocturnal efforts he bought the needed materials,
thinking he had averted the calamity, he celebrated. But nothing take’s the
normal pattern when the Devil becomes the sculptor.

He waited for her to
come but instead, the message of how his life would suddenly meet a cold end
became the returned reply.

She was
popular, the Devils crowned princess, she was troublesome and whenever trouble
emanated from her quarters blood was also expected to follow in due course.
Ngozi was the end product of what was to be expected when the mind takes to the
duty of practical insanity. It was said that her violent handiwork's would make
even Angel Michael beg for quick cover.

She was angry
as she carried herself through the path leading to Ekadi’s carpentry workshop.

“I will deal
with one of his boys rather than make an empty return” She had promised herself
before embarking on the journey. Her right hand held the unbroken bottle within
tight grip, impatiently praying for the moment.

He was
quick, his eyes were vigilant enough and his legs applied pressure as the fear
of Ngozi who he had suddenly spotted became the start of a new and needed
knowledge. He dropped the saw, kicked the bucket of nails on his path as he
fled for his life. She went after him; in the process of this sudden pursuit
she broke the bottle on a concrete pole on her path and there and then was the
perfect weapon formed. She pursued, she chased but Ekadi was a man intelligent
enough to recognize death even when it was dressed in the form of a deranged
woman.

Tuesday, 17 September 2013

He cried, the tears fell and his voice was
enough measurement of the grief within.
It no longer mattered what his supposed future in-laws would think so he
cried out her name, as his tears laid emphasis on the reason why his life had
become so sad. The compounds in the area gathered, their attention was the
righteous sort and he narrated his woes with every single drop. Eventually
their sympathy became audible.

“Sorry, such is life, it will get better”
Filled the air as the women tried to console him. Agnes who had been their
beloved now became the Judas they all wanted to stone. But this was not the
case with the males who could not conceal their annoyance at the foolishness of an old man, investing
on a girl old enough only to be his granddaughter with the intention of
marriage in mind. Some held back their irritation while others too angry at
Okoro for misrepresenting men were bold to shout. “Old fool”

The time came and even the night tired of an
old man without shame went to sleep, he was left alone to nurse his wounds.
Mama Agnes tried her best but he would not come inside for the night, for he
had vowed to wait for Agnes to come back before business of that kind would
find a place in his heart. But when the time became too lonely and his resolve
almost lost to drowsiness he stood up and went to the outside road where the
activities of nightlife were gradually taking shape.

The bar played loud music, the prostitutes
paraded themselves, and the crowd frolicking in their carnal pleasures paid little
attention to morality as each of every one of them struggled to get the best
out of the vanitythe
moment had on parade.
He was among them, trying in his best efforts to kill his pains through too much
alcohol, and it was then he saw the car come to a stop in front of the bar. Out
came the heavily built guy and to the shocking surprise of Okoro there stood Agnes,
beside him.

They took a table for themselves and drinks
were brought. They laughed, they discussed and Agnes was evidently happy with
herself, not even worried about the so recent episode she had left still
unfinished.

He looked at her and wondered if she had no
conscience, he had sent her to school, helped her family and for this alone he
was entitled to her respect but which was never the case as Agnes was so always
quick to show, He looked at her and could see the aura of an ingrate, he stood
up and walked towards their table.

She felt her head swell; she saw Okoro’s
face and knew this time the trouble had come to stay. He dragged out the empty
chair and sat down. He peered into the eyes of Tony who was so surprise at the
uninvited guest that for a moment he remained speechless not knowing what road
to take. Then he managed to speak.

“What can I do for you?” Tony asked, expecting
to hear the ranting of a drunk gone over the edge.

“Young man you have insulted me” Said Okoro.

Tony had expected it and so he laughed like a
mad man before saying. “Ok I will buy you another drink”

Okoro was angry as he replied. “I say I want
my wife, she is my wife”

Tony was silent as he looked towards Agnes.

“That is the way he has been harassing me, an
area drunk who would not leave me alone” Her denial was piercing to the soul
and Okoro was again the victim.

“Indeed I am an old fool” With this he began crying,
heavily.

Every man was created to partake in the ills
of life but to be insulted in this manner, be denied by the one who have seen
your best and charity was in many words the worse of bad times. He stood up and
demanded that Agnes come with him. She declined and the madness which for hours
had remained constrained finally caught fresh air and inhaled strength. He
grabbed her hand and dragged her to her feet but Tony was there to pull back.

He heard the bottle break but his anger would
not listen.

“She is not going anywhere” Tony countered,
his voice angry as expected.

He was tall; the type of fellow with strength
to start a mini riot and come out victorious and in his clenched fist was the
broken bottle waiting to prove itself. Okoro on the other hand had his age to
be worried about, he was not at all fit for the moment but his anger would not
relent.

He went for Tony and in the suddenness of the
moment the two of them fell. The bar gathered round, no hands went forward to
do what was right, instead they stood, watching as Tony gave Okoro the beating
of his life.

She stood there silent as an untroubled
night, but when the beating became more violent, she begged and Tony stood up,
pleased with himself for beating his father’s age mate. If shame had never
before been ashamed of itself, then Okoro certainly with this moment had
allowed the impossible. Tony had refrained from using the bottle but yet blood
covered the face of Okoro. He stood up crying, the loud music had since reached
a forced end and so Okoro’s voice was as the crickets and frogs of the night.
He walked out from the bar, his tail between his legs.

The bar was back to its usual self when Okoro
suddenly re-emerged. From where at that time of the night he had found himself
a machete remained a mystery but nevertheless he came back with one in hand.

He had not bothered informing her but left
immediately for safety. She was surprised but when she looked behind, she
understood why and followed her lover.

She was the one who shouted the loudest, as
Okoro pursued them into another street in the middle of the night, Tony joined
her and in no time the atmosphere was reeling with. Thief! Thief!

He could hear the footsteps gearing up to
join strength. He saw the doors open, heard the sound of iron rods been dragged
from their sleeping places by hands too hungry for violence but before his
voice could put up his defense, that he was not a thief, a piece of block from
behind, with full force to his head made contact and to the ground he fell. Even
as he fell he had desperately wanted to explain but that piece of block was the
Devil which in its cruelty had dislodged this ability, replacing them with pure
pains.

When events like this take the full stage,
God in his mercies might interfere and the victim by miracle would survived,
but for God to have involved himself would have been so unfair for never before
had any one receive so much demonstrated fury and live to tell the tale.

She shouted for them to stop but when the
Devil sits on the saddle nothing was bound to go the normal mile. She cursed
them, she went violent on most of them and since she was no stranger in her own
neighborhood they did not return her violence as she took time to now explain
“He is my husband”.

But the crowd was just too much to cover with
her little shouts, her sudden sense of remorse compared to the growling that
was then the atmosphere was like the search of grain of sand on sea shore.

She was now bitterly crying, they had by
this time relaxed their angry violence and knelt by his body calling out amidst
falling tears. “Okoro! Okoro! Come back, I am ready, come back!”

But it was already passed the hour of grace
and needing not a doctor they all knew that he was no longer with them. She
cried, she begged for his return but Okoro was finally on that journey into the
great beyond where God or Satan must have to punish him for been so stupid.

Monday, 16 September 2013

By the time he returned the night sky had
gone dark. He smelled of alcohol and his breath was a murderer in its own right,
his eyes were dark as red and his inside cried in rage. He entered without
knocking; he looked around at their troubled faces before asking. “Where is
she?”

Mama Agnes could feel the foreboding of a
terrible outcome; she feared the worse would suddenly break the bridge which had so solidly connected them this
past many years and in its chaos spell an eternal doom, not for her daughter
but for Okoro whose age alone was a burden weighing too much on his weary shoulders.

“She has not yet returned” It was hard
looking into his eyes but she tried.

She saw the lines on his cheek where the
tears had earlier touched and she hated her daughter for it. Now more than ever
she blamed herself for not becoming the barrier from within even if it meant her daughter who would have been paraded through the market square a
whore, her reason which was designed to see her daughter graduate from the
university was now nothing when placed on the scale of moral value, for her
conscience was just too bitter and could no longer stand the sight of a man the
age of her own elders crying for what he had suffered so much to bring to a
taste, which other men were now makingdifficult even for him to have access to, though she knew age was now the frustrating factor to the whole arrangement, she still believed that a contract
agreed upon was worth honoring..

He had invested so much on her and never
before questioned the sanity of his actions until this moment when everything
else had taken the ugly and tiring form of nausea. He had refused to bring this
chapter of his life to the notice of most of his friends and those who knew
were always quick to frown and show their objections and now he knew why.

“What normal man would chose to spend his
money on the future of a woman and expect to smile at the end” A friend of his once asked. And it was not long before the two of them became enemies, his
friend outraged by the matter would not let sleeping dog lie. He was now alone
with nobody to cry to, nobody to understand and nobody to share his grief with,
the pains were just too much but he endured, waiting for Agnes to return. He
sat on their frontage and waited, for his future wife to come home, to the
judgment that would certainly go nowhere.

The time was past eleven before Agnes with
her hands filled with fast food eateries returned. She had almost recounted her
steps but Okoro was quick to notice her emerging presence.

“Where are you coming from” He asked, for
reasons unknown the rage with which he had so waited the return now failed to announce
its presence as if Agnes had somehow watered its salt.

She faced him without showing her fear; she
knew he was not a man of violence at least not when she was the person involved
but she could also tell that her actions were the sort to make violent miracles
happen and this frightened her. Okoro was her fool and even at this moment she could
see the light of hope still lurking above the darkness.

“I will go inside, drop my things and we
shall go to a nice hotel after which I will explain myself” She spoked with authority.

He had wanted to stop her, wanted to make her pay for the
disdain and shame her actions had brought upon his old age but he was an old
man in love who knew
not the ways of the cunning youths, so like the gentle fool he was
he allowed her. For some men the hardship of life, poverty and misfortunes were
the only forces that could effortlessly tame them but for Okoro the reverse was
the case, he could defile hard times and come out laughing but Agnes that
little girl who had once called him Uncle was the force to bend his will and
make tears drop, how foolish he was to freely accept the deceit of a
woman child.

Her Mother shouted, her voice threatened to
bring down the roof, she listened, her face the form of faked remorse and in
response to the present query from her Mother all she did was beg for a little
piece of quiet.

He was waiting for her, his mind divided by
the different possibilities that could have led to the long absence and even
though he tried to be objective in his thinking his heart was still not at
peace for it was convinced of the ugly fact that Agnes was a terrible cheat
with an outrageous sense of adventure which his old heart no matter the
circumstance would never find pleasing.

She came out, gave him her purse and
cardigan as if nothing ugly had earlier transpired between them with the excuse
of going to the bath room and again he was ready to wait. Only a fool can live
through another dejavu and not see the similarities and bad itch that made the
other unpleasant. He had waited for another thirty minutes and would have
continued in his foolishness had Mama Agnes not gone to check the bath rooms.
Moments later she was back with a sad report. “Agnes is not there”

He dropped the items to the ground and rushed
to the other side of the compound where the bath rooms were situated and was
quick to confirm his foolishness. The small gate became his exit as he ran
outside, straight into the busy streets in search of Agnes.

Saturday, 14 September 2013

By Felix Brambaifa He sneezed and his eyes watered. She looked
at him and could see the old days, when men worshiped her services and were
ready to pay so their heads could become heavy and lazy to think properly. But like every other human endeavor with a life span
the Shop suddenly became a thing of the past. Okoro was there for them; his presence was
treated like word from heaven and he blessed them with every visit. It was a
responsibility he gladly answered to and she had come to depend more on Okoro to bring sustenance. Her husband was the useless
sort lost to alcohol and it did not matter to him that his daughter at the time
of the agreement was been sent into a marriage contract, instead in celebration
he stayed out the entire night, bathing in the Jacuzzi of inebriation.

As a Mother she was quick to see the
changes. The boys came, the men came and no matter how she talked, Agnes
already too in love with material things would without worry give herself to
them. The rumors became viral and the sordid details of her sexual adventures could no longer be concealed and so became news for those with ears for such things.

“He is an old man” She had shouted once when
her mother became too much of a pest to handle.

Mama Agnes in her best efforts had tried to
bring Agnes to her senses but to no avail. She would not listen to her. No matter
how she designed the questions Agnes was there with answers, it was as if she
had no conscience and her Mother had felt more confused than ever.

“I will pay him back one day” Agnes had said
without pity for Okoro nor the mature mind that would have appreciated his
sweats, money spent, time soon to become wasted waiting for a deserved reward
which must now dishonor her contract even if it simply meant another five years of life tending to an old
man who might either go blind or suffer from stroke in the near future.

She could have long since ended the agreement
but each time she brought the matter before Okoro, without giving full ears to
her explanations would defend Agnes. She had becomethe one the two of them were so quick to
disagree with but still her sympathy for Okoro blamed her for not protecting
the man who had suffered so much keeping her family afloat. A man who had come
to hate reality, covering up for the obvious display of disregard with “She is
just a child”

Time was moving fast and the hours by the
minutes were getting more pregnant and Okoro was no longer himself. She wanted
to tell him but was afraid, but how could she tell him that Agnes had never
been interested in him but greedily had placed before herself the sinful task
oftaking from him as much as could be
extracted from his large purse.

He stood up, unable to continue with the
moment in peace. At that same instant that lad who had called Agnes to her
visitor returned, a small nylon bag held his goodies for him.

“Mama Look at what Aunty Agnes’s friend
bought for me” He said, his white teeth displaying his innocence. “She told me
she will marry him and he promised to buy me ice cream whenever he comes
visiting. He has a car, a big one”

She could say nothing but look at her
ignorant child even though she had badly wanted to squeeze that mouth. She
tried but it was too late as Okoro in anger dashed out of the house, shouting
Agnes! Agnes! As if a simple shout of anger would dissuade the inevitable from
touching the theater of dramatized facts which old men like himself would
quickly find disturbing and probably die from.

Friday, 13 September 2013

He had waited for too long, she had been
gone for almost an hour and it dampened his mood. She had grown big and
beautiful and it was not strange admirers would come in their drove. He was happy
to see the changes but hated the discomforts that came with it. He was angry.

Back then he was way younger than the picture
of the present. He had gone to visit a friend and the friend in turn was the
one who carried him to the SHOP. The SHOP at this time was in its happiest as
men in their numbers paid constant homage to its door front, it made many men
loose their heads more than anything in the world and alcohol was the snare they all fell into. It
was here his eyes fell on little Agnes, then a small girl without the slightest
inkling of what she had on her little frame. She was part of the reasons these
men came in their large numbers, they all wanted to feel Agnes.

But Okoro was a man who knew how to get the
things he needed in life. How he
went about it was unknown but at the end of the meeting an
agreement was reached and Agnes the little girl blessed with the body of an
adult became the responsibility of Okoro. Her every expenditure became his
concern; he paid from his purse and smiled afterwards, not even ready to caution
her excesses. He became the Santa of the liquor
house and all were made happy. Okoro loved his new responsibility and he poured
money into his new project with a righteous heart as if the money
were been channeled into a cathedral for God. From her secondary education to
her University, he took charge and was the donkey too burdened to complain.

In due time she migrated into the fields of higher learning. He was
there to foot the bills and roof her material taste. Years brought them closer
and the words of feelings conveyed through letters became constant.

He
had sent words in advance; his coming was to be treated with complete regard and his presence met with the love his heart had envisioned and labored for but instead, his coming was met with grief, for though he had searched, enlisted the help of others in that search, it was in futility that their efforts was destined. in shame he begged for the path back home, for now he knew she had deliberately avoided his presence in a university ground that seemed too out of place for his age.

Life had brought many women to his bed; his
money had negotiated for the best and he was always there to enjoy himself when
women were the appetizers, their warmth was his pride and he did all to
enjoy his consumers right. But since that day when his agreement became law,
when he took over the responsibility of another man and called it love, with
free will before his very consciousness he went after foolishness and opted to
wear on the sweat of celibacy for a girl too young to be mature. From that day
of the agreement he had come to see and feel pains only imagined but still he
continued, hoping. Pains too bad for his aging heart and shame too insulting
for his gray hair became the constant pranks from Agnes. He was now the beast
and his age was the fault and Agnes the beauty was not at all the sort to
become too romantic to the extent of falling, even when the beast had been her
greatest help.

The house was now as uncomfortable as it
should be for any eyes that must have seen its mother's own nakedness in the
open. The laughter had long faded away and they sat in silence.

“I want her now, I can no longer wait” He
cried out.

“Agnes will be back soon and we will put the
matter down” Mama Agnes answered.

Thursday, 12 September 2013

By Felix BrambaifaHe
was merry,his blood boiling hot and he rubbed hands in sweet
expectation.The women welcomed him. He sat down feeling
important, his eyes was constantly fixed on Agnes who had long rushed to his
side since his arrival. She smiled and talked little but in all she showed the
very signals of excitement that he had hoped and expected.

He was a man fully aware of the ways of women
and so had not come empty handed; a polythene bag filled with beverages and
bottles of sealed refreshment spoke on his behalf. He understood things, they
discussed, and they laughed. Then the little brother of Agnes with sense ripe
enough to stage a domestic coup entered. He was still angry with his elder
sister who had returned from school without the usual gifts that was the ritual
but yet he spoke.

“Sister
you have a visitor” He said

“Tell
the person to come in” Okoro would not wait for her to answer as he asserted his
authority.

“I think it is better I meet the person
outside, I will be back” Protested Agnes.

She was afraid of the possible outcome and so she spoke
with caution. She went outside and there the visitor stood smiling, she smiled
back, unable to contain her excitement.

The two of them had met some three months
ago. He was handsome, she was beautiful and the attraction came from both
sides. They began seeing each other and the rest was history as they took the
strides, crossed the boundaries and as some would say fell in love

“Hi” He said with obvious affection.

“What are you doing here?” She whispered, her
voice down to the barest minimum as if her voice might upset some invincible presence. She moved
closer before again asking. “I hope you are ready to take me out?”

He nodded, held her hands and dragged her
outside. At that moment it became possible not to fear nor think about Okoro.